SPECIAL REPORT (2): PUBLIC UAE REACTION TO TORTURE OF IRAQI

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001443

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA;
INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
LONDON ALSO FOR MOC
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: SPECIAL REPORT (2): PUBLIC UAE REACTION TO TORTURE OF IRAQI
PRISONERS



1. SUMMARY: AS MEDIA REPORTS AND PHOTOS DEPICTING TORTURE OF IRAQI
PRISONERS CONTINUE TO GENERATE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL
AND PAN-ARAB MEDIA OUTLETS, THE ISSUE HAS ALSO DOMINATED
CONVERSATIONS HERE. MISSION CONTACTS TELL US IN PRIVATE
CONVERSATIONS THAT SUCH SCENES ARE PUSHING THE U.S. TO LOSE ITS
FRIENDS AND CREDIBILITY IN THE ARAB WORLD AND ELSEWHERE. END
SUMMARY.


2. A LEBANESE-FRENCH EDITOR OF THE WOMEN'S MAGAZINE "ZAHRAT AL-
KHALEEJ" SAID TO INFORMATION SPECIALIST: "THE PHOTOS SHOWN ON TV
DEPICTING AMERICAN SOLDIERS TORTURING IRAQI PRISONERS HAVE TURNED
ARAB PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST THE U.S. WHAT IS DANGEROUS IN THIS
IS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE MIDDLE AND
EVEN THOSE WITH PRO-WESTERN MENTALITY ARE NOW LEANING TOWARDS THE
EXTREME." HE ASKED: "HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CARRY OUT YOUR JOB
UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS? I SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD CLOSE AND GO
HOME."


3. A JORDANIAN-PALESTINIAN NEWS EDITOR OF THE EMIRATES SATELLITE
CHANNEL NOTED IN CONVERSATION THAT "THE IMAGES OF THE SOLDIERS
TORTURING NAKED IRAQI PRISONERS ARE VERY HUMILIATING AND ARE
HARAM (RELIGIOUSLY BANNED),ASKING MEN TO TAKE OFF THEIR CLOTHES
AND SHOW THEIR "AWRAS" (SENSITIVE ORGANS OF THE BODY) IN FRONT OF
A FOREIGN WOMAN IS UNACCEPTABLE BY ISLAM AND, I BELIEVE ALL
RELIGIONS. IT SHOWS THEIR HATRED AND THAT THE SOLDIERS DESPISE
IRAQIS AND MUSLIMS. I WOULD ACCEPT THIS COMING FROM SADDAM AND
OTHER IRAQIS BUT FOR THE AMERICANS TO CROSS THOUSANDS OF MILES
AND DO THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. ALL THIS WOULD INCREASE
HATRED AND HOSTILITIES AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT IS AMERICAN, NOT
ONLY IN IRAQ BUT ALL OVER THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLDS."


4. A MOROCCAN ANNOUNCER/NEWS EDITOR AT ABU DHABI TELEVISION SAID TO
PA STAFF, "THE INHUMAN TREATMENT BY AMERICAN SOLDIERS OF THEIR
IRAQI PRISONERS DENIES ALL AMERICAN CLAIMS OF RESPECT FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY. NOT ONE ARAB OR MUSLIM WILL NOW BE
CONVINCED TO BUY U.S. SLOGANS ABOUT BOOSTING DEMOCRACY IN THE
REGION. THESE PRACTICES ARE WORSE THAN THOSE SADDAM CARRIED OUT
AGAINST IRAQIS; AT LEAST HE HAS NOT CLAIMED TO ENSURE DEMOCRACY,
HUMAN RIGHTS AND BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES FOR ALL IRAQIS. IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER FOR THOSE PRISONERS TO BE KILLED THAN TO
SHOW THEM IN SUCH HEINOUS SITUATIONS THAT SHOW THE REAL INTENT
THE AMERICANS HAVE FOR IRAQIS AND ARABS IN GENERAL."


5. ONE OF POLITICAL CHIEF'S REGULAR CONTACTS SAID THAT THE QUESTION
BEING DEBATED BY SOME ATTENDEES AT THE WEEKLY MAJLIS HELD BY ABU
DHABI DEPUTY CROWN PRINCE SHEIKH MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID WAS WHY
SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF IRAQI PRISONERS BEING
ABUSED. PEOPLE ARE ASKING THEMSELVES WHETHER THIS WAS INTENDED
TO EMBARRASS THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE MILITARY, PERHAPS TO
PRESSURE THE U.S. INTO AN EARLY WITHDRAWAL OF THEIR FORCES, THE
CONTACT SAID. "THERE IS CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT THE U.S. IS DOING
IN IRAQ." HE ADDED. "THE REACTION TO THE REPORTS OF PRISONER
ABUSE IS ONE OF SHOCK. YOU'RE LOSING YOUR CREDIBILITY. YOU ARE
LOSING FRIENDS IN THE ARAB WORLD AND ELSEWHERE. YOU ARE LOSING
THE VERY PEOPLE YOU WANT TO STAND BY YOU."

ALBRIGHT